The total weight of goods transported by road within Cyprus rose 2.3% in the first quarter of 2026 compared with the same period last year, while freight moved to and from the island by road increased by 9.3%, according to the latest figures from the Statistical Service.
The volumes, however, tell only part of the story. Despite the rise in tonnage, the distances over which goods were actually hauled fell markedly.
Freight movement within Cyprus, measured in tonne-kilometres, dropped 4.2% in the first quarter, while freight to and from the island fell far more sharply, down 24.3% — suggesting shorter average journeys even as the overall weight of goods moved increased.
Domestic road freight totalled 11,130,500 tonnes in January-March 2026, up from 10,882,100 tonnes a year earlier.
Cross-border freight, by comparison, remains a far smaller share of the total, rising to 11,000 tonnes from 10,100 tonnes.
The figures are drawn from the Road Freight Transport Survey, which tracks goods carried by Cyprus-registered vehicles with a payload above three tonnes, in line with EU Regulation No. 70/2012 on road freight transport statistics.
Domestic data is collected year-round through telephone interviews, while cross-border figures are gathered directly from the haulage companies operating the vehicles concerned.
